Where is Allaah? Page 8 of 9

But if the Jahmites say that Allah created the creation outside Himself and has never dwelled in them, they would by giving this answer, join the folds of Ahl-As-Sunnah, for by giving this answer they denounce their own deviant beliefs.
Allah, the Exalted, described Himself in the Torah too that He is above His creatures. Ka'bul-Ahbaar said: "Allah, azza wajall,[57] said in the Torah, 'I, Allah Am above My salves, and My 'Arsh ia above My creatures, and I am upon My 'Arsh running the affairs of My slaves. Nothing is hidden from Me neither in heaven nor on the earth."[58]
Finally, it may be worthwhile to say that even the enemy of Allah, Fir'awn (Pharoah), who flagrantly claimed to be a god of his people, knew where Allah is more than the followers of Jahm today. Allah says:
And Fir'awn said, 'O, Haman, build for me a tower that I may reach the ways; the ways to heavens so that I may have a look at the Ilaah of Musa.[59]
Now consider the words of Fir'awn who wanted Haman to build a tower for him that he might climb all the way to the heavens to see the Rubb of Musa, for Musa already told him that Allah to Whom he is inviting him is above the heavens, and compare this with the groundless argument of the Jahmite off-shoots of today.
A Muslim wonders how could those who believe that Allah is Omnipresent rationalize such assertion knowing that Allah, the Omnipotent, will collect the earth in His hand and fold the heavens in His right hand, as evidenced by the following divine stern warning.
And they have not venerated Allah with the veneration that is due Him, for on the Day of Resurrection, the earth will be collected in His hand and the heavens will be folded up in His right hand.[60]
Were the above verse to be the only proof of Allah's Loftiness, it would have been more than sufficient. It is certainly sufficient to those who fear Allah and give Him the true veneration that is due to Him.

Conclusion

The first three Muslim generations whose righteousness the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) testified for, and whose merits surpassed the merits of all succeeding generation. They are the Companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) and the two generations that followed them. They all believed in the apparent meaning of the Qur'anic ayaat that deal with the divine attributes without giving them farfetched interpretations based on Greek philosophies.
The Believer must believe that there is none like unto Allah, the Exalted, in His essence, attributes, nor His actions. He must also believe that Allah stands in need of none of His creatures. Neither a thing nor a place encompasses Him. He is above His 'Arsh, above the seventh heaven, and above all His creature essentially and realistically not allegorically. There is none of His creatures that touches Him.
Based on this it is not permissible to say that Allah is everywhere, or He inheres in any of His creatures, for Allah was when there was nothing. He who asserts that Allah is not outside the universe, not only denies the existence of Allah, but he worships a non-existent god.
We ask Allah to keep us on the straight path of His Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wasallam) and his Companions and to make us join their company on the Day when neither wealth nor offspring would avail. Walhamdu lillahi Rabbil-aalameen.
This discourse has been based mainly on two books: Ithbat Uluwil-Lah, by Usamah bin Yusuf al-Qassas, may Allah grant him His mercy, and Ar-Rahman alal Arsh Istawa, by Dr. Awad Mansoor.

Footnotes & References

[1] Ruboobiyyah, inf. of Rubb
[2] Some translate the term 'Rubb' into 'Lord', the meaning of 'Rubb' is far more comprehensive than to be restricted to a single word such as 'Lord'. Rubb, means, among other things, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Provider, and the One in whose hands is the disposal of all affairs.
[3] Q 50:16
[4] Arsh, the Throne of Allah.
[5] Jahmites are the followers of Jahm bin Safan (d. 128-745), a radical heretic. Among other things, they deny that Allah, the Exalted, is above His Arsh, and they allege that He is everywhere.
[6] Q 4:59
[7] Q 87:1
[8] Q 87:1
[9] Q 16:50
[10] Q 20:2
[11] Q 7:54
[12] Q 67:17.18
[13] Q 6:3
[14] Q 58:7
[15] Q 58:1
[16] Pantheism is the belief that Allah and the universe constitute one being, as opposed to the fundamental belief of the Oneness of Allah and the separateness of His creations, as stressed by Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah.
[17] Imam al-Bukhari, Imam Muslim and others.
[18] Q 2:150
[19] Ibid.
[20] Q 35:10
[21] Ar-Rooh is Jibreel, peace be upon him.
[22] Q 70:4
[23] Q 32:5
[24] Q 3:55
[25] 'Istawa' p.t. is derived from the verb sawiya and its derivative form istiwaa' to ascend the Throne. The Ash'arites, the Mu'tazilites, the Jahmites, and those who uphold their belief, hold the attribute of Istiwaa' to be only symbolic, whereas Ahlus-Sunnah accept this and the other essential attributes of Allah literally without drawing parallels.
[26] Q 7:54

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